Hi there! I apologise for not having updated in ages, but this is a longer chapter, so I hope that sort of maybe makes up for it! Hope you enjoy!

The sound of bells rang out clearly through the forest. Hyuga looked up across the river with apprehension, having faith in Kuroko but worried that he might have found trouble. A few of his men had gathered with him on the bank; Izuki having returned from scouting further down the river and his report having been put on hold by a concerned look from his captain.

And then, out from the forest emerged what could only be an angel.

She was in flowing gypsy garb of turquoise green, and her hair was long and pink and was blowing gently in the breeze. Kuroko was walking beside her, at ease, though his face seemed somewhat concerned. She lightly leapt up onto the branch that spanned the river's width and skipped across it on dainty toes, each step accompanied by the melodic ringing of playful bells.

The men stood, enchanted by her grace and beauty. Riko's expression soured slightly. Who was this temptress who wandered so freely at Kuroko's side and had suddenly turned her men doe-eyed?

"Tetsu-kun," Momoi murmured quietly as he followed across the log behind her, "I…I am sorry that our meeting must be so sad. Talk of the past always turns dark, doesn't it?" He nodded wordlessly, and she seemed to sense his agreement as she stepped of the log and came face to face with the captain of Seirin's army.

"Who are you?" he inquired darkly, his bow in hand in case she was more dangerous that she appeared.

"Hmm?" Momoi remarked innocently, "Me? How should I put this?" She mused for a moment, oblivious to the captivated, blushing faces of the men around her. "I'm Tetsu-kun's fiancée."

The forested river bank was suddenly overwhelmed with stunned silence.

"I apologise," Kuroko sighed, seeing disbelief written across the faces of his comrades, "This is Momoi Satsuki. She was one of our advisors from Teiko -not my fiancee." That did nothing to lessen the silence; if anything, it added to it.

Riko was well aware that a woman could have as much place in a war as a man could –but even she was a little surprised to see that this dainty little thing was an advisor. She had really been a part of Teiko's army? But then she remembered how dangerous it could be to underestimate anyone, and she took another look at the young woman.

She appeared delicate, and gentle, but Riko saw more; she saw a strong woman who had something that she desperately needed to protect. Whether that was her own interest, or a person or her kingdom, she couldn't say, but there was something there that spurred her onwards, and though her eyes were soft, there was a coldness there that Riko recognised. Kuroko had the same look; the look of someone who had lost something precious and feared to lose more.

"I mean no harm, Hyuga, sir," Momoi assured him with a gentle smile, "I had only wanted to see Tetsu-kun. It has been a long time since I have seen him." She turned and looked across at Kuroko, who nodded to her reassuringly, and Riko was struck by the complete and utter adoration in her eyes. Kuroko's fiancée? Well, it was evident that she cared for him, but he…his eyes were as expressionless as ever.

"Wait…you know who I am?" Hyuga frowned suspiciously, and she nodded with a small, kind smile as a little white bird settled on her shoulder and chirped brightly.

"Of course," she assured him, "I have learned a great many things of Seirin and its army. You did not think that you could defeat two of my old Commanders without having attracted attention?" She giggled; a sweet sound to hear in such a gloomy forest. "The birds across the land say that in the north, east and west, there are men who whisper the name of Seirin in awe and respect. You have stirred the quiet hearts of many a kingdom."

"What of the south?" Riko inquired curiously, taking a quick glance at Kuroko and seeing his expression darken as it always seemed to do whenever someone spoke of the south. Momoi too, looked decidedly nervous.

"Kingdoms rise and fall all the time," she replied, and her voice was almost sad, in a way. "The South does not stir for just any challenger…and it lost its heart long ago." Her pink eyes dulled slightly as she glanced across to Kuroko, who had closed his eyes and had a small, pained frown crossing his pale face. No one understood what she meant, but obviously it held deeper meaning for the two who had once belonged to Teiko. Riko couldn't help but wonder, what aching memories lay in the south, and what could it be to affect Kuroko so greatly, when he always seemed so calm?

Kuroko knew that Riko was watching him; wondering what was on his mind, but he would not answer. The south was a dangerous place, and he hoped that she would have the sense to keep away without asking questions. But, it was not there that his thoughts now rested. His thoughts were not turned to a man with eyes that could both freeze and burn; with a gaze that could stop hearts and haunt dreams.

Instead, he was thinking of what he had promised Momoi.

The dusty courtyard was filled with noise and laughter as the children of Teiko chased each other around the training grounds with wooden swords, cheering on their favourites as they ran. They were small still, but growing every day; their thoughts full of the glory of battle and yet also of childish things like stories and a love of life.

A slim boy with golden hair was one of the children playing, and toppled to the ground for not the first time; tripped by a rope tugged taut between two opponents. He clattered to the dust with an ungainly thud and sulked there for a moment; his toy sword having flown from his hand.

"That's not fair!" he complained aloud, rolling to his feet and brushing some dirt from his cheek, "Kurokocchi, why don't you ever team with me?" He flinched slightly as he felt someone place a condescending pat on his head but then his expression brightened when he realised who it was.

"Hard luck, Kise," a thin, tanned boy with deep blue eyes chuckled with a grin that spanned his face and lit up his eyes. "Little lordlings like you aren't made to fight like us." Kise pouted slightly, glaring without ice at the way the little street urchin was dressed; clothes in tatters and feet bare and scuffed. It was quite the contrast with Kise's noble attire –which, at the start of the day had been clean…but he had fallen so many times that he was going to scolded by his mother.

"It is really annoying how well you two work together, Mine-chin…" another voice remarked lazily from somewhere nearby. Aomine Daiki just laughed at that sound and lightly bumped fists with the small, pale boy who had been hovering at his side. With that, Aomine scooped up Kise's fallen toy sword and brandished it flamboyantly; playfully seeking a new opponent as he danced across the courtyard on light, swift feet. Kise watched him for a moment, eyes softening as the once street-rat leapt over a stone bench and tripped another three pursuers with the rope that Kuroko had tossed to him.

Aomine laughed openly and scampered away as they tumbled to the ground in a mess of limbs.

"You know, I don't get it, Tetsu," he chuckled with a bright grin, "…We can never agree on anything else, but we really do fight so well together!" Kuroko nodded in agreement as a small, companionable smile crossed his face. Aomine slung an arm around his shoulder happily and then was forced to leap away as some of their opponents made another vain attempt to defeat them.

"I wonder why that is, Midorimacchi?" Kise remarked conversationally to the tall boy currently sitting on one of the stone benches, reading a scroll and twirling an arrow between the fingers of his left hand. Midorima looked up disinterestedly and eyed how the other children were gambolling across the courtyard, dusty and bruised and seemingly without a care in the world. Every so often, he would catch sight of a blur in Aomine's wake, like some kind of pale, unseen wisp.

"Kuroko is a shadow," Midorima remarked, almost to himself, though Kise listened intently as he dusted off his scuffed boots. He obviously didn't manage to hide his confusion very well because the archer just sighed in exasperation and rolled his green eyes.

"…The stronger the light; the darker the shadow," he explained, nodding over to where Aomine had succeeded in pushing one of their fellows into the pond with an expertly timed trip from Kuroko. Kise giggled. "So…fighting alongside someone strong, makes Kuroko all the stronger. Whosoever casts his shadow, determines his strength. And though we can all fight with him…" He trailed off for a moment, shaking his head a little as though he did not like this acknowledgement.

"…Aomine is the strongest of us," he admitted. They all knew it to be true; there was no point in denying it. "If he's the one who works best with Kuroko…then he is the one who shines the brightest."

Kise considered these words for a moment before Midorima batted him out of his personal space with the feathers of his arrow, and moodily returned to his reading.

"Midorimacchi, come play," he begged, ignoring the annoyance in the archer's eyes, "Aominecchi might shine bright, but maybe we can too!" He gave Midorima a brilliant smile, golden eyes lighting up cheerfully in an attempt to drag the serious boy out to the fun of the courtyard. Their peers and their friends were all singing along as Aomine claimed yet another victory and clambered up one of the training grounds' large stone statues –a dragon – to proclaim himself the prince of the courtyard. He laughed and kicked his feet as he smugly sat atop the dragon's nose, hollering out for Kuroko.

"Ahh, Tetsu! Come be a prince with me!"

Kuroko tried to clamber up the stone dragon's leg the same way that Aomine had, but he was too short and not quite strong enough for it. But he tried again, and this time, felt a strong hand grip his and tug him up to rest on the statue's back. Aomine looked down at him with lively, deep eyes, with a pearly smile dancing across his face. He brushed his unruly midnight-blue hair back and chuckled as Kuroko clung to the dragon's neck.

"One day we'll be princes, won't we, Tetsu?" Aomine grinned wistfully, looking up at the sky and staring off into the clouds as though seeing some future that Kuroko had yet to imagine, "I'll be the greatest prince there ever was, and I'll have a dragon just like this one; a big dragon with so much fire that when we fly, we burn the sky!" He chuckled to himself and lay back against the dragon's nose.

"Aomine-kun, dragons don't exist anymore," Kuroko reminded him, but couldn't help but smile at the look on his friend's face at the thoughts of such grandeur and majesty –and the idea of writing his name in the sky with fire.

"I'll find one," he assured him, deadly serious, "A real prince has a dragon."

"…Teiko's prince doesn't have a dragon," Kuroko pointed out, "And real princes kill the dragons, remember? In all the stories, they kill the dragons."

"I never understood that," Aomine admitted with a sigh, simply enjoying staring up at the clouds and basking in the warmth of the day. "They'd be so beautiful and powerful, don't you think? Like fire, given form!"

"It would eat you," Kuroko deadpanned and Aomine glared at him rather crossly for doubting his dragon-taming abilities.

"Never," he snorted, "I would tame it! And we would rule the world!" Kuroko just hugged the neck of the stone dragon and sighed at yet another of Aomine's wild dreams. He never grew tired of dreaming, and he had always had a fascination with the stories of fire; its wildness and beauty excited him. No wonder he delighted in the idea of flying atop a dragon; the living embodiment of such power.

But Kuroko knew that even Aomine had forgotten…

"You cannot tame fire…"

Those words echoed through his mind and he clenched his fists at the memory. You cannot tame fire. That was what he had said to Aomine, when he had been enough of a child to dream still…and all of them had eventually learned how very true those words would come to be.

He had promised Momoi that he would defeat Aomine, and he must not seek to tame him. There were so many stories warning against it; warning that fire was a cruel, cruel thing that indiscriminately destroyed, and he had seen first-hand what devastation rampant fire could wreak.

But he would stop Aomine. He had to. Perhaps there was still a chance that the old Aomine was somewhere in that cold husk that he had become. Perhaps somewhere, there was still warmth in those flames.

Night had almost fallen and the men were still uncomfortable in the quiet. The evening air felt thick and dead, with no sounds of insects and nothing seeming to be alive amongst the trees. Other than the eerie rustling of leaves in the humid breeze, there seemed to be no noise from the camp's surroundings.

And then slowly, in the distance, there came the sound of horse's hooves thudding softly against the forest litter. As it grew closer to the sentries, it became obvious that the animal posed no threat. Actually, even the figure riding atop it seemed no threat, due to the fact that the man was slung haphazardly in the saddle; practically tied in place –completely unconscious.

When the horse and its motionless baggage were brought before the Captain, Hyuga had nothing to say, because Kagami Taiga was apparently in such a state that even yelling would not have woken him.

"I told you he would return," Kuroko remarked conversationally, and Hyuga gritted his teeth angrily as Kagami promptly tumbled off the horse and landed in a most ungainly heap on the ground.

"What is the meaning of this?" he hissed aggressively, jabbing a finger at the unconscious swordsman, "You said he'd come back, Kuroko, but in this condition? What happened? He looks awful!"

"I believe it is possible that he ran into some trouble," Kuroko replied, stating the absolute obvious. Kagami was blood-stained and bruised, and appeared to have relatively deep cuts across his body, though none were likely to prove fatal. His breathing was steady, and he was covered in dirt, and no one could fathom how he had managed to get into such condition.

" –What's this?" Izuki inquired with a small frown, wandering over and helping to lay Kagami out into a more comfortable position. He picked up a long, green-fletched arrow and his blood ran cold as the men around them recoiled. They all recognised that monstrous arrow; it was difficult not to.

"Midorima-kun?" Kuroko frowned, stepping forwards and taking the shaft from Izuki's possession. There were no traces of blood on it, and Kagami had obviously escaped a skewering, so it was unlikely that Midorima was responsible for the swordsman's condition. It only took a glance to discover that there was a note fastened to the arrow. A little confused, Kuroko unrolled the parchment and read the small note that had been scrawled in the familiar handwriting of the archer.

He did not heed my warning. I owe him nothing more.

For some reason, the words filled Kuroko with a terrible sense of foreboding. He looked down at the bloodied tears in Kagami's clothing and saw the deep scratches. He had obviously been fighting a swordsman.

"Captain?" he murmured quietly, as Hyuga mutinously growled curses to Riko about Shutoku and whether or not they should take this as a warning or a challenge. "Do not fear Shutoku. They have no involvement with this."

" –Kuroko, that is their champion's arrow," he growled darkly, jabbing a finger at the wicked shaft, "How can you tell me they weren't involved?" Kuroko shook his head and held out the small note.

"Midorima-kun only sent the arrow to confirm his identity," he assured him, "I believe that he actually saved Kagami-kun's life today. He therefore wishes Kagami-kun to know that he has repaid him for sparing him in the burning forest." Hyuga appeared sceptical of this explanation and his expression darkened.

"Captain, if they wanted Kagami-kun dead, then they would have sent his head," Kuroko added, and this at least was enough to make Hyuga stop and think. That did make sense. If Shutoku really bore such a grudge, they would have taken the opportunity to kill the swordsman –but here was Kagami, admittedly unconscious, but still alive.

"…If that is the case…" Hyuga remarked hesitantly, "Who was Kagami fighting? And there aren't any cities this close to the southern border of Shutoku; the forest isn't dense enough. How was it that Kagami came to be found by Midorima?"

Takao had asked questions, but hadn't really had any hope of receiving answers. He had wondered aloud many times why Midorima had informed their captain that they would be going on an excursion to the south of Shutoku. Otsubo had hardly been pleased to hear that their finest archer intended to wander so soon after such an embarrassing defeat, but their Battlemaster had apparently seen some strange glint in the Hunter's eyes that had caused him to grant this one selfish act.

Despite what Midorima might say, the Hawk knew that this journey was not so much to do with the desire to leave the confines of the cities, as his companion had said, but rather, had everything to do with the army of Seirin, and a swordsman named Kagami. He understood what the Battlemaster had said –there was something different about the archer these days.

So it did not come to much of a surprise to him when eventually, they had crossed paths with the swordsman himself.

It was not so much of a crossing of paths as the pair of them catching sight of his violent red hair in the gloom of the forest as he wandered alone, away from the army. Takao had to wonder why he was allowed to roam so free, especially when he seemed so itching for excitement –but he had said nothing. He watched Midorima's eyes fix curiously on this man, and knew that they were going to follow him.

He'd lost track of how many times they had watched Kagami leave his camp and journey in any direction; sometimes leaving his main force for hours at a time. Each time, he wandered further; not caring where he was headed or if he was in any kind of danger.

And then, earlier that day, he had reached the plains of the south-western kingdoms, and Takao had seen something that had left him feeling cold and shaking. He had seen the monster of monsters; looked upon a swordsman and seen not a man, but a demon in the guise of a human. He was not a superstitious or religious man, and he didn't scare easily, but there was definitely something otherworldly; something dangerous and inhuman about the man called Aomine Daiki.

Midorima had felt it too. He had felt it long before they had tailed Kagami to the plains, though it had been but a mere cold feeling of unease set off by the appearance of unusual numbers of small white birds with pink tail feathers. Such a feeling would usually have never caused him to take action, but one evening, Takao had been tending to one of the small fires that kept the night watch warm, and told Midorima of how when he tossed a log onto the fire, instead of burning, the flames had gone out. Upon inspection, he discovered that what he thought to be a piece of wood, was instead a bone, and had extinguished the fire.

And Midorima had known.

He had felt the day grow cold; seen the shadows lengthen across the plain and seen a man emerge from the horizon like a shadow rising from the underworld. Aomine had been terrifying when they were younger, and time had done nothing but melt away the warmth from his eyes. Even as he and Takao watched the two swordsmen approach each other, from the safety of the trees, he could feel the very air become cold with dread and thick with the aura of death.

They had watched, both spellbound and horrified, as Kagami discovered how truly monstrous the Commanders of Miracles truly were. Midorima could barely watch; unable to believe that he had been defeated by a man, who next to Aomine, looked utterly pathetic. There was nothing that Kagami could do. The Demon was toying with him; mocking him and his strength and all that he believed in.

There was no comparing their skill levels. Aomine was a different class of swordsman entirely. He was so strong he barely seemed human; so numb to the pain of others and himself that living things had ceased to matter to him. There was boredom and disgust in his eyes; contempt for the weak and a hatred of those who thought they could oppose him. And Midorima had watched him eye Kagami with those cold, dead eyes, and he remembered.

He remembered back to a night; many nights, in fact, where the children would all be sitting around one of the fires and ask for a story. They truly had loved their stories. It didn't matter who told them; usually it was Momoi or one of the nurses or nannies or sometimes even one of the other children; Kise knew many stories from his noble upbringing –but they loved hearing them.

Aomine included.

Sometimes he would tell them; though only a select few. There was one that every child, and probably almost every soldier in the army had heard at least once; and so many that probably knew it by heart; having been forced to listen to such a story innumerable times at Aomine's request. It was often at night, when the fires were blazing and the children were gathered with their suppers, that he would ask, and though everyone protested at hearing the same story all the time, they all secretly loved hearing it.

The man who fell in love with fire.

That was Aomine's favourite story. And when he was young and full of joy, he would pull out his sword and do battle with the fire; his blade passing harmlessly through the flames and making the metal glow red. He would dance around it, trying to defeat it, and always failing. On the night that Midorima was remembering, Aomine had been bravely facing the flames, and fallen in. He had badly burned his arm, but only laughed when Kise and Kuroko had dragged him free.

"Stupid Aomine-kun!" Momoi had said, "You're just going to hurt yourself! You can't win against fire like that!" And he had laughed, even as he gritted his teeth in pain at the burn, and his blue eyes had turned to the fire with as much awe and wonder as he always looked into the flames with.

"Exactly," he whispered, in a voice filled with youthful excitement, "You'll see! I'm going to become the fire! I'll be that destruction, and as unstoppable as the flames; and just like in the story, men and women will try to tame me, but no one ever will!" And they had all laughed, and so had he, because they were children and it was a silly thing to say, back then.

Midorima bitterly remembered that he may have chuckled along with them. Anyone left alive who remembered those words could not recall them without an overpowering sense of bitterness. Aomine had become the fire; he had become the devastating destruction; the untameable force that devoured everything it touched. He answered to no one and burned and laid waste to the living until they were nothing but ashes.

But fire had never been so cold.

Midorima had found himself stringing an arrow.

I'm not afraid of him.

That was what Kagami had said, and the archer could see that those words had been no lie. Kagami was valiant and stupid, traits that Midorima hated to see in the same man; but the way that he faced his own demise was admirable, and how he himself had been prepared to die.

Was it that, or something else that made him draw back that arrow? Midorima believed that the Gods sent messages to those who would listen, and that it was up to those loyal followers to decipher their signs and warnings. Most men would have brushed off such an incident with the fire without a care, but Takao had a restless tongue sometimes, and a curious nature, and much to Midorima's dismay, would often recount his entire day in great detail as they ate.

The Wheel of Fate was turning; that much, he knew, and he chose to believe that he had been sent here not to witness the fall of yet another mere man; but to save one.

Aomine had moved so fast that even Takao's hawk eyes could have sworn for a moment, he simply vanished. Then, all of a sudden, in the blink of an eye, he was at Kagami's back, tip of his blade pressed to the back of the redhead's neck. Midorima saw his lips move; knew that those blue eyes of his would be stony and cold. What would he whisper to Kagami for the last cruel words he would ever hear?

"Shin-chan!" Takao hissed in horror, recoiling back against the tree trunk as Midorima's monstrous arrow tore through the air with a twang and sped towards Aomine with deadly intent. There was a moment there, where the Hawk truly believed that that arrow would connect; would strike Aomine through the heart and end the Demon.

Time seemed to move strangely, in that moment. The arrow was too slow, and Aomine too fast. Midorima saw Aomine's attention shift; knew that he had heard the snapping of a bowstring and recognised the sound of a shaft speeding towards him. With a single, mighty swing of his sword, Aomine drove the hilt down against Kagami's skull, and batted away the arrow with the flat of the blade.

Midorima cursed under his breath, watching as Kagami toppled to the ground, completely lifeless. It was as he fell, that Aomine turned to face the forest.

"Midorima."

He hesitated.

"There's no use in hiding," Aomine drawled, swinging his sword casually, though his tone betrayed his annoyance at being interrupted, "Come out from those trees before I lose my patience."

Midorima did not take kindly to being ordered around by the likes of his old comrade, but better to humour him for the meantime. Slowly, he leapt down from the trees, carrying his bow, and crossed onto the plains.

The air was cold, and his blood was chilled with the ice of death that seemed to cling to Aomine's very presence, as though he sucked the life from the atmosphere around him.

For a moment, the pair of them just stood there on the plains, watching each other. Aomine cocked his head with a yawn, and Midorima eyed him coolly. Once, they had stood as allies, and now, the Hunter wore the drab forest garb and dark cloak of Shutoku, and the Demon wore the scant but still somewhat entrancing attire of a gypsy bandit.

"Aomine," Midorima greeted coldly.

"What do you think you're doing?" Aomine remarked darkly.

" –Spare the man," he demanded bluntly. This caused the swordsman to raise an eyebrow sceptically.

"Don't tell me what to do," he warned flatly, glancing over his shoulder at the defeated redhead. "Why? You must think far too much of our old friendship to greet me with an arrow and start making demands."

"Spare him," Midorima repeated, more firmly this time. This made Aomine's eyes narrow suspiciously, "And we both know that there was little friendship between us."

" –True," Aomine yawned icily, "…Though I admit I thought you'd try and use that to convince me to free him." He shrugged dismissively, "…Then again; that never was your style."

"Or any of ours," Midorima reminded him, eyes still meeting the cold blue gaze of the swordsman before him, and seeing nothing lying in there but ice and boredom and blood. He didn't bother saying anything more; words tended to be useless when it came to Aomine. All he could do now was hold his gaze, stand his ground, and hope that there were gods out there that truly did favour Kagami Taiga.

"…How amusing…" Aomine finally remarked, and Midorima's eyes narrowed; unsure of whether or not the unpredictable swordsman was going to take his request seriously or not. The Demon turned his back, and wandered over to Kagami's motionless figure, blade tilting his chin to examine his face for a moment.

"You, of all people…begging for the life of one man."

"I do not beg."

" –Strange, Midorima. I didn't think you were still capable of surprising me." He looked down at Kagami again, and looked as though he was considering stomping on his head. But then, apparently having decided that he didn't want to bloody his feet more than necessary, thought better of it.

"Take him." Midorima physically froze; not sure if he'd heard correctly. Aomine gave a disgruntled growl and turned away. "I don't like repeating myself. Take him and leave. You've got me interested, Midorima. You and Tetsu." His tone was scornful, and he sneered down at Kagami, scuffing dust into his bright hair as though kicking out a dying fire. "Though...he's pathetic, really." The wind grew colder again, and Midorima wondered if there was some cruel god out there that favoured Aomine himself; some dark force that fed his malice.

"I hope you're there when I kill him, Midorima," Aomine growled, in a tone that finally made Midorima look away; unable to bear the malevolence in that voice. But he knew without looking that Aomine had sidestepped Kagami's unconscious body and intended to leave –whether out towards the plains, or wherever, he didn't know.

"…Because I won't make it quick," he added, his voice emotionless, "…Not like how I was going to. And when you see what kind of death you sentenced him to, it will maybe make it all the more satisfying to crush you too."

And like some wraith, Aomine Daiki vanished off into the wind, leaving Midorima standing there alone for what felt like an eternity. How could there be so much ice in just one man?

I'll be that destruction, and as unstoppable as the flames…

Strangely, Midorima felt a tear roll down his cheek as he heard the sound of a horse slowly coming up behind him. What was this; this foreign ache? Who was he to shed a tear for a man he barely knew; an enemy, no less. Or was that tear for Aomine? That made even less sense. They had been children together; shared some kind of bond long ago, he supposed, but it had been a long time –almost ten years, since there had been any kind of friendship between them.

Despite time passing, though, he could still remember vividly what they had all once been.

"Do not worry, Shin-chan," Takao remarked kindly, laying a gentle hand on his elbow as he watched Midorima turn away to hide his tears. "Weep." There was no playful mockery in his voice this time, "…To mourn over what once was proves your humanity." He rested his cheek against the archer's arm and smiled when Midorima did not brush him off. After a moment of the comforting contact, Takao led the horse towards Kagami to begin hoisting him into the saddle. Midorima could see the curiosity in his eyes, but was thankful that he did not say anything. He thought to himself how defenceless the man was now; completely at his mercy. If he wished, he could finish now what Aomine had started; as payment for that defeat as his forest burned.

But he had not faced Aomine for that; an action that had been harder than he anticipated. He was sure now, that this was the will of the Gods. Even Aomine was only a pawn in their plan; he was not a merciful man, and yet Midorima himself had witnessed him spare a man's life.

It had to be divine intervention. They wished Kagami Taiga to fight again, and Midorima followed the Gods and believed in their design.

"Kagami-kun."

Kagami looked across to the entrance of his tent to find that Kuroko had managed to slip in without him noticing. There was something akin to worry in the smaller man's eyes, and he immediately felt guilty.

"What happened?" Kuroko inquired flatly, "…You've been unconscious for three days, Kagami-kun. We were beginning to wonder if you'd ever wake."

"I…sorry for worrying you," Kagami replied quietly, unsure why he was feeling so scolded, "How did I get here? That last thing I remember, I was…" He trailed off slightly, remembering that sudden blinding flash of blue light, and the thick voice of something dark and cold. He shivered a little, but his blood felt hotter than ever. The mere memory of what it was like to fight against Aomine dulled the pain of the blow to his head, and lit up his entire body with vigour.

"Midorima-kun saved your life," Kuroko answered, " –Though none of us know what exactly it was that he saved you from." Kagami fell silent for a moment, wondering at why and how the archer had managed to intervene. He had seen his own death on those plains; and expected to die.

"…I fought him," he muttered, finding his voice unusually grave. "I fought him, and I should've died."

"…Aomine-kun?" Kuroko whispered, though the answer was already obvious. Kagami nodded wordlessly and Kuroko fell into a similar silence. Of course Aomine would have been close, since Momoi had made an appearance. But for the Demon to hunt out a man and seek to fight him...and spare him, no less…

"Kuroko?" Kagami finally inquired curiously, sitting up on his bed and holding his aching head, "…I…from what I gathered…he used to be your light. Right?" The other man nodded slowly and took a seat on a nearby trunk, watching the redhead in interest. "…You two were partners, weren't you?"

Again, Kuroko nodded.

"What happened?"

Kuroko let out a long breath, a sad frown crossing his face as he looked down at his hands.

What had happened to them? What had happened to them all?

"Waah! Aominecchi! Again, again!" Kise exploded in a whine as he was unceremoniously disarmed and tripped into the dirt for the umpteenth time that day. He picked himself up immediately, his bright blonde hair full of mud and dust and his noble's clothing ripped and torn and slightly bloodied. But despite his ragged appearance now, his eyes were fierce and determined. The boy opposite him raised an eyebrow and laughed slightly.

"…That's enough, isn't it, Kise?" Aomine sighed with a small smile, running a hand back through his short hair. The pair of them were both sweating in the midday Teiko sun, but there was competition in their hearts that washed away the fatigue from their limbs.

"No, no!" Kise assured him, grabbing his sword from the dirt, "You're so good! I'm not going to stop until I can beat you!" Aomine laughed at that, leaping forwards without warning and restarting the fight.

"You're years away from that!" he smirked, "…But you're not bad…for a beginner…"

At the edge of the training ring, Momoi stood with her chin rested delicately in the palm of her hand. Her eyes were filled with a fondness for the young, tanned boy fighting against the blonde, and she smiled to see him with such life in his heart.

"What do you think?" the Battlemaster inquired of her, knowing that she was an excellent judge of strength. "Kise is doing well, isn't he?"

"Indeed," she agreed.

" –He may even have more potential than Aomine," he mused thoughtfully, mulling over this possibility. Momoi giggled to herself and shook her head with a soft smile.

"Ahh, you say that," she commented lightly, "But I think you are mistaken. Kise-kun is a quick learner, yes…but Aomine-kun…" She nodded over to him, drinking in that brilliant smile he was wearing as he fought against Kise and knocked the blonde to the ground once more. "…He loves to fight more than anyone –loves it more than anything in the world." The Battlemaster followed her line of sight as Aomine, having defeated Kise once more, gestured for a couple more of the elder soldiers to join them. He was much younger than them, but his reputation was well known, and they were eager to test themselves against him.

As he always did, he took them down, grinning as he fought.

"Moving with a sword is as natural as breathing, to him," she murmured fondly, "He's had a blade in his hand ever since he was a child; fighting those bigger than him in the streets, because he didn't have parents to protect him." She giggled to herself, "My father has always been a blacksmith, you see, even before we came to the castle. Aomine-kun used to steal his blades, and sometimes he sat outside my window and listened to my nanny tell me stories. When my father finally caught him stealing…he was so impressed with the way the child fought off the guards that he welcomed him into the family." She sighed happily and looked up at the Battlemaster, who seemed unsure of why she was telling him this. "…When I came to the castle to be a lady, Aomine-kun came too. He was an urchin; a poor street-boy, and yet he can outfight any soldier brave enough to challenge him. There is nothing more natural to him than fighting."

Kuroko had heard the story, though at the time Momoi had not been aware of his presence. He agreed with her. Nothing Aomine did was as beautiful or as passionate as when he fought; at least back then. For much of his young life; his childhood, it had been all he had in the world, and he loved it.

"None of the Five started off as monsters," he finally began quietly, trying to collect his thoughts and explain to Kagami, "…They were…we were all just children –but strong. Slowly, it became obvious that they were difficult to stop." He paused and his expression became sad. Kagami stared at him rather curiously.

"…And then they bloomed; Aomine the first, and most suddenly of all."

"…Bloomed?" Kagami echoed in confusion, but was halted in further questioning by the genuinely despairing look on Kuroko's face at the memory of what had happened.

"He grew too strong, too quickly," he whispered, "We were just fifteen; still children, even; but suddenly, Aomine's strength grew –his speed, his skill –everything grew exponentially. He was absolutely unstoppable." Kuroko tried to not let the fear and bitterness seep into his voice, but his fists clenched and he found himself shaking slightly.

It had been terrifying to see –none more terrified than Aomine, it seemed. At first, he relished it; victory was exciting, and the knowledge of his own strength made him happy. But then, slowly, the smiles had faded and the joy flickered out from his eyes. He stopped training with the troops; taking to going off alone and lazing around –sending back wounded messengers whenever someone tried to get him to train.

"Aomine-kun…you didn't come to training today," Kuroko remarked with a small frown one evening as he and Aomine strolled through the camp after having pilfered sweet pies from the saddlebags of one of their comrades. There would be hell to pay when the incurable sweet-tooth found out, but for the meantime they were safe.

"…So…?" Aomine queried flatly, munching on one of the pastries, "…If I train…I'll just improve, and, well…" He yawned, "…The more I try…the more boring it becomes to fight." Kuroko felt a small sense of unease brewing in his gut, but tried to squash it down. Aomine looked up at the red sunset and sighed to himself.

"Tetsu…" he muttered, "…What's missing?"

Kuroko knew that Aomine already knew, just like how he knew, what was truly missing.

" –Midorimacchi, did you see how amazing Aominecchi was today?" Kise exclaimed in wonder, tagging along behind Midorima as the archer wandered towards his tent with a scroll in hand –determined to spend some time away from the nuisance of a blonde. Midorima glared at Kise to try and encourage him to depart, but he was obviously caught up in his hero worship, and was oblivious to such a glare.

"He took them down so easily!" he gushed, "Did you see how fast he was? All of those veterans we were fighting against, he practically defeated them by himself!" He sighed happily, gold eyes glinting playfully. "…Imagine having skills like those! He must be having so much fun!" At this, Midorima frowned, shaking his head at Kise's stupidity.

"No," he disagreed quietly, "I believe it is just the opposite."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Kise inquired curiously, always intrigued by Midorima's insight.

"…Aomine loves fighting more than anyone I know," he replied coolly, "To fight has been all he's ever wanted in life…but now…I know there is something he desperately desires above all else." Kise blinked those big, innocent golden eyes at him.

"…A rival who can stand as his equal."

Midorima watched Kise's face fall slightly, as he understood that that man would never be him. He was not a cruel boy, and therefore felt no pleasure in the sadness in Kise's eyes –but the blonde needed to hear such a thing. All he seemed to desire was to be acknowledged by Aomine…but he wasn't strong enough.

"…He won't find one, though," the archer added quietly, "Not when his strength far outclasses all others. He is too strong." And Kise nodded, because it was true, and even at such a young age, no one could stand against him.

"…I don't even think I'll be needed in battle," Aomine yawned, heading towards one of the campfires to warm himself in the evening air. "…And I might even start going into duels unarmed…maybe that will make things more interesting, if there's only one sword between us…"

"You can't do that," Kuroko immediately informed him flatly, sticking out a foot suddenly, so that the boy stumbled ungainly and tumbled to the ground into the dirt. Aomine let out a wail of complaint as he rolled over and saw Kuroko glaring down at him from above; arms folded crossly.

"…Aomine-kun, you may be so much stronger than me," he sniffed, "…And I might be so very far behind the rest of you in skill and strength…so I can't say I know how you feel…but…" He shook his head disapprovingly, "…If I was your opponent, I would hate to be mocked like that." Aomine's eyes softened for a moment; seeing the annoyance in his shadow's eyes and feeling a little scolded.

"Besides…" he added with a small smile, sticking out a hand to help him to his feet, "…I'm sure it won't be too long before you find someone more amazing than yourself."

"Tch," Aomine scoffed, though he was chuckling as the pair of them headed over to the fire. He looked across at him and smiled slightly. "…You're right, I suppose. As usual."

"Kagami-kun, do you know the story called 'The man who fell in love with fire'?" Kuroko asked softly. Kagami stared at him for a long moment and then slowly shook his head. "…It was Aomine-kun's favourite story when we were younger."

"…I see…" It was obvious that he didn't.

"There was once a merchant," Kuroko informed him, to give him the brief version of the story, "He loved all things with beauty. He had a mansion, gold and jewels and rare trinkets and plants. He had collected so many beautiful things in the world apart from one thing. He had never found a woman he loved enough to make his wife." Kagami stared in astonishment. Why was Kuroko telling him a story like this?

"He went out and searched across the land, seeking the most beautiful woman he could find," Kuroko continued, remembering the way that Aomine had told this story. He had told of all the different places the merchant went; all the women he found and what they looked like –only for the merchant to decide that they were not the most beautiful. Aomine had embellished the story so very much, because he loved it. "He thought he would never find it. He had many beautiful things –" Aomine had always named dozens of the beautiful things, and described them in elaborate detail.

" –But no woman. And then one day, he saw what he believed to be the most beautiful thing in the world –something that no other thing could compare to," Kuroko murmured, "He found fire. He watched it swallow up a city; watched the red and gold and orange flames eat up the night sky and saw it dancing merrily. He was captivated by it."

"It flickered with light unlike anything he'd ever seen," Aomine exclaimed boldly; his audience caught by the intensity of his words, "It was wildness given form; the way it moved and was such beautiful destruction made his heart weak with fear and awe."

"Put simply, he fell in love and tried to tame it," Kuroko continued, Kagami himself appearing rather intrigued by this story. Oh, he probably would have loved to hear Aomine tell this story. Kuroko knew he could do it no justice. He was no storyteller, and had no special love for this particular tale. "…He tried to hold it; tried to keep it chained. He could not do it. This fire was too hot –it burned him and it melted the chains; it demanded so much wood and flesh to live, and yet when it was displeased it spat smoke and sparks at him. The fire destroyed his collection of beautiful things, and yet he did not care –because fire was the most beautiful of them all, and he loved it too much. It ran wild across the world; destroying and lighting up the sky wherever it blazed –and men and women alike found it beautiful and tried to tame it…but anyone who tried to embrace it was turned to ash. And finally, when the merchant had realised that the fire was untameable and would consume anything that tried to come close, he had nothing left but his love for it."

"…What a depressing story," Kagami remarked flatly.

"It was his favourite," Kuroko replied with a shrug.

"Why did you tell me?" Kagami frowned.

"…Because when we were younger, he said he would become the fire," he whispered sadly, "He decided that he would be that fire that consumed any that tried to come close; the fire that wreaked havoc upon the world and that all would desire but none could touch." He closed his eyes softly. "…And when he truly became the Demon…he became that fire."

That was when Kuroko told Kagami about that battle; the one that had decided Aomine's descent into darkness; the one that had left Kuroko a shadow without a light. It had been before they took the Centre, and Aomine had been excited for the first time in what seemed like forever. The impending attack was on a terrifying army from the south that had been amassing for a long time. They were an army renowned for their discipline and their unshakeable hearts.

…But before the might of Aomine the Demon, they quaked. They baulked; they cried for mercy and they fled. Aomine had been fighting, grinning in the hopes of finding soldiers worthy of his time; excited to face men who wouldn't fear him; someone who could fill his limbs with the fire of the fight.

Instead, all he came across was a sea of living corpses.

Those men, upon seeing him, had lost the light in their eyes; they had all already given up. Some were crying. Some fell to their knees and waited to die. They knew that they were going to be destroyed, and had lost all will to fight.

Something had snapped inside Aomine right then. Kuroko had seen it; he had watched that flicker of fire in his eyes wither and die. That was the fight that his gaze had turned to stone; the battle where the old Aomine had died inside.

"Is this what happens…when I try…just a little?" he had whispered to himself as he slew –because it was no longer a fight; it was a massacre. There was rage in his eyes then –a rage that Kuroko had hated to see, and something that had caused an ache in his heart. "…If I try…they just give up. They aren't even trying to save themselves..." And then after that rage came the cold; like the terrible quiet of death after a vicious storm.

"Fine," Aomine had said, his gaze cold and disinterested as Kuroko held out a fist to him; hoping and praying that he would return it –and that such a gesture might speak volumes to the lively Aomine buried deep within.

"…If they are so ready to die, then they will all die." And he had turned his back on Kuroko; walking down a dark road where he could not follow.

"Tetsu…this is the all-consuming fire. This is the fire that will turn the world to ash," he said flatly; in the voice of one who vehemently believes that they are speaking the truth; someone resigned to their fate. "I will never find what I seek. The only one who can beat me is me."

"After that fight," Kuroko continued, his voice having grown quieter, "…The others slowly began to change. They deserted the comradeship we once had; and not long after, we took the Centre. It was the beginning of the end. Aomine had become the Demon that the men had so named him…and eventually, I left. I couldn't stand to see what he had become; what they had all become…and he didn't need me. None of them did."

There was quiet for a long moment, as Kagami mulled over what he had been told.

"Who the fuck does he think he is?" he growled mutinously, thinking back to those hollow, dead eyes and his hands clenching into fists, "…Fire can be stamped out. He'll see. Next time…" He looked across at Kuroko until the phantom looked up at him. Kuroko was a little stunned to see the courage and determination in those red eyes so soon after such a defeat. It lifted his spirits and caused hope to rise in his chest once more.

"Next time…I will stamp out that all-consuming fire, and he'll be the one turned to ash."

A flashback or two; a bit of backstory...The current Aomine scares me a little, but I love how Midorima is turning out, and his relationship with Takao.

Hope you liked, leave a review if you want? I promise the next update won't take quite so long!

Much love,
xx K